Creatives Grab Coffee

Gabe Nazario, founder of Offbeat Creative in Jersey City, joins Dario and Kyrill for a candid, tactical conversation about the business of video in the New York metro. He built Offbeat on the side of producer and editor roles at Fox, Disney, and JP Morgan, then went full time once the profit matched his salary. In this episode: growing slowly and hiring deliberately, why a lean 1099 crew sometimes...

What happens when a sales guy, not a camera guy, builds a video production company? Rob Weiss started MultiVision Digital 15 years ago in New York City with no portfolio and no editing skills, and has since produced more than 1,700 videos. In this episode he sits down with Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov to break down the system behind that run: batch producing so one shoot day becomes ten delivera...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, we sit down with JD Gonzalez, founder of LivaLittle, a boutique production company based in Brooklyn, New York. JD is a cinematographer, producer, and director who's built his business around a unique philosophy: experience-based hiring — rotating crews and giving people the opportunities they need to grow their careers. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro: Meet JD...

Brigitte Sachse of Bee Video Productions returns for her third visit to talk shop with Dario and Kyrill. We get into how Bee Video landed a documentary series on TVO ("The Nature of Design"), why animation became their secret weapon, and the recurring theme of the whole episode: diversifying your work, your income, and even your project timelines so you never have all your eggs in one basket. We a...

Welcome back to another episode of Creatives Grab Coffee! In this episode, we are joined by Ed Rowe and Celia Hodgson from Tiny Studios. Tiny Studios is a B Corp certified production company based in London. They work across various sectors to produce impactful web and social content that truly shifts the needle. Today, we dive into their journey from freelance life to agency ownership, the import...

In this conversation, Andrei from Tone Films shares his journey of starting a videography business during the pandemic, the challenges he faced, and the strategies he employed to grow his company. He discusses the importance of SEO, building a reliable team of videographers, and the creative processes involved in producing high-quality content. Andrei also reflects on his aspirations for the futur...

In this episode, we sit down with Noam Shalev, founder of Highlight Films, to discuss a side of the production industry few get to see. Based in Israel, Noam’s team handles everything from high-end corporate shoots to gritty news coverage in active conflict zones. We dive into what it really means to be a "fixer" , how remote production technology has allowed directors in LA to direct crews in Tel...

Welcome to Season 6 of Creators Grab Coffee! To kick off 2026, we’re joined by one of our OG guests—Chris Stasiuk from Signature Video Group. Chris is celebrating 16 years in business, and in this episode, we go deep into what it actually takes to survive and thrive for nearly two decades in the creative industry. Chapters 00:00 Celebrating Six Years of Podcasting 02:58 Reflecting on Business Grow...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, Jon Corbin — Founder of Corbin Visual — returns for his third appearance on the show, making him the official CGC Champ.  Jon dives into the new era of creative entrepreneurship: How vertical dramas are transforming storytelling online, why client value beats trend-chasing, and what it takes to stay profitable during hard economic times in the video indus...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee , Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov speak with Amr Khani , founder and creative director of AK Films , a Dubai-based production company operating at the intersection of high-end corporate and creative work. Amr shares how he built a successful production house in one of the world’s most competitive creative markets, what it’s like running shoots in the UAE, an...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee , Dario Nouri sits down with N’tchidjè Doumbia , founder and creative director of Great Things Studios , a Montreal-based video production company known for its cinematic commercial and corporate work. N’tchidjè shares his journey from music videos to full-scale agency operations, the growing pains of scaling, and how his company maintains creative quality...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee , Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov sit down with Daniel Calleja , founder of Visual Production Agency in Melbourne, Australia. With more than 20 years in the game, Daniel shares how he built a resilient corporate video business through two decades of rapid industry change — from VHS to HD, DSLRs, and today’s AI-driven landscape. They dive into how video produ...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee , hosts Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov sit down with Kris Simmons , founder and CEO of 6 STRONG MEDIA, a U.S.-based corporate video production agency headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With more than 280 vetted camera crews across the U.S., Kris has built one of the most operationally tight networks in the industry. He shares how 6 STRONG MEDIA mainta...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, hosts Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov talk with Ana Rosales, founder of AVR Media Group, about her journey building a thriving video production company in Florida. We unpack the realities of scaling a production business — managing clients, leading a team, maintaining creative quality, and overcoming industry biases — all while staying grounded in your crea...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, we sit down with Manuel Izquierdo, founder of Mi Media Production, a Miami-based video production company specializing in corporate and commercial work. We unpack the evolution of small production companies — from solo freelancers to fully fledged creative studios — and dive deep into how modern filmmakers are balancing business growth, creative integrity,...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, Israel Bonequi from IND Films (Montreal, Quebec) shares his journey from being a generalist offering multiple creative services to focusing on video production and scaling IND Films into a specialized studio. He discusses the challenges of pricing creative work, the importance of educating clients, and how niching into medical and industrial video has help...

In Episode 101 of Creatives Grab Coffee, we’re joined by Julian Tillotson, founder of INDIRAP (Chicago), to talk about why video alone isn’t enough. Julian breaks down how businesses can build a full content ecosystem, why “going viral” is not a strategy, and how educating clients on ROI is the real key to long-term success. We also dive into the debate of niching vs. staying generalist, the dange...

WE DID IT! 100 episodes of Creatives Grab Coffee! 🎊 Join Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov as they reflect on their 5-year podcast journey, from sweating it out in a hot condo during the pandemic to becoming a well-oiled machine. In this milestone episode, they dive deep into the biggest topics that shaped the video production industry over the past year. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & Episode 100...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, Ben Amos from Innovate Media and Engage Video Marketing shares his journey from high school media teacher to agency owner, coach, and published author. Ben dives deep into the importance of video strategy, explaining how producers can elevate client outcomes by focusing beyond just production. He breaks down his signature seven-part video strategy framewor...

On episode 98 of Creatives Grab Coffee, we chat with Toby Trueman, Managing Director of HeeHaw, a Scotland-based video production studio known for its blend of live action, animation, and motion design. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro and Guest Welcome: Toby Trueman from HeeHaw 03:01 – Toby’s Path to Managing Director and HeeHaw’s Evolution 05:03 – Rebuilding HeeHaw: From 5 People to 47 During COVID 07:4...

On episode 97 of Creatives Grab Coffee, we sit down with Rodrigo from Republic24, based in Monterrey and Mexico City, for an inside look at building a sustainable video production company in Latin America. Rodrigo shares his journey from film school to founding Republic24 over a decade ago and discusses how he grew the company without loans, relying on organic growth, smart hiring, and an unwaveri...

On episode 96 of Creatives Grab Coffee, Zach Shapiro from One Hundred Seconds (Portland, Oregon) shares his journey from a 20-year career in restaurants to launching a purpose-driven video production company. Zach explains how his passion for local food systems inspired his first documentary and how he built a business around telling authentic stories for small businesses. He discusses the value o...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, Anthony Madani from Up Media (Vancouver, Canada) discusses his journey from animation into video production, and shares strategic insights on how focusing on healthcare and technology niches has accelerated his business growth. Anthony dives deep into the process of becoming a certified B Corporation, highlighting how aligning with purpose-driven initiativ...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, Mark Currie from Chocolate Films (London, England) shares his journey of building a uniquely impactful video production business through strategic growth and meaningful community engagement. Mark discusses how Chocolate Films scaled organically over two decades, balancing commercial projects with creative social initiatives like filmmaking workshops and th...

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, Steve Smith from Savvy Productions (Salt Lake City, Utah) shares his inspiring journey of building a successful and innovative video production company. Steve reveals the creative risks he took, from crafting elaborate props and unique sets to constructing his own dedicated production facility. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining strong client rela...